The Little Things Give You Away
by kittyjordz
Summary: Nick and Reese are sent out to take care of a man eater in Ontario's northern cities when Eve sends a message Via Jaime of someone they need to help escape the Edison Group. Story based in both Otherworld and Darkest Powers series.
1. No Roads Left

(AN: based on both of Kelley Armstrong's series, Darkest Power and Women of the Otherworld. Also to note, all new characters are my intellectual property where as all of her previously created characters are her's. Read, review, enjoy.)

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Prologue

Running was all that I knew these days. Never spend too much time sitting still or you'd be in trouble. This was the advice I'd been given when I had escaped from the Edison Group. They were clever little ass holes well organized, people after me because of the powers I could wield. They were sick sons' of bitches who probably would stalk me across the universe to get me back. Not that I was that special in my own mind, just your everyday average necromancer whose father just happened to have been a demon. No biggy.

There was a loud snap of a branch and I knew I'd not run quite far enough yet to reminisce and bitch in my head just yet. The dense forest was perfect cover for me, who had wisely chosen to wear deep a deep green sweater and dark jeans. Usually running in the dark was something I found deliciously fun, but when you were running for your life, it lost some of its relaxing magic.

I kept myself listening as I ran as quickly as I could from the steps behind me. Two sets of steps maybe? Big ones too, clumsy and loud, probably one of the rent a cops the group hired, half demons like myself, but likely much more powerful I guessed. I kept pushing through the darkness, I was small, i was quicker then them, I would make it, simply because failing would mean either more poking, prodding and pain or even death.

I kept running, branches and bushes whipping past me with my own adrenaline pumped speed. My feet didn't falter as much as usual over the heavy brush and the soft moist ground of the forest. Eventually I felt I couldn't run anymore. I peeked under a rather rotted and old tree, its branches barren and hunched onto the ground. There was a small hole under it, likely the remnants of an old fox burrow. I was cold, and tired and I couldn't run anymore, so I carefully crawled into the tiny space, curling up into a foetal position and I cried. And like every time I cried, it rained. The joys of being a Tempestras half demon. Can't defend yourself worth a shit but when you cry, it rains. I cried and I prayed I'd be safe for another night, resting my head in the muddy ground, to sleep.

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Chapter 1

Jaime woke up early that day, as if someone had roused her unwillingly from her slumber. She untangled herself from Jeremy's arms and slowly crawled from the bed to sit on the corner. She rubbed her eyes and let out a small shout spotting Eve looking right back at her from the windowsill. This of course woke Jeremy up with a start and a growl.

"S-Sorry Jeremy, Eve just decided to sneak up on me...again." she'd turn her eyes to the ghost witch and she'd force a light smile, it creeped her out that Eve had been watching them sleep, even if Jaime knew there must be a good reason.

"Not here for a social visit Jaime," Eve said, even though there was clearly amusement glistening in her dark eyes. "We have a necro to save."

Jaime frowned some and glanced at Eve a bit closer. "What do you mean, save?" she'd ask after filling Jeremy in on what Eve was relaying to her. Eve just shook her head and pointed out the window.

"You need to send people to get her, she's been moving like a woman possessed, she's scared and her pursuers are supernatural, much quicker then I think she knows. She's travelling through northern Ontario, I'm not sure where she is intending to go, but she'd hiding under a damned tree and thinking that will keep her safe. You know Jeremy has a few werewolves in Ontario right now, is it possible for them to find her, I can give you a good description, though I'm fairly certain a girl would be damned easy to find in the bloody wilderness." Eve finished, her hands on her hips, a look that showed she knew Jeremy wouldn't deny this task if Jaime asked it.

"Fine." and Jaime relayed the message to Jeremy. It was a process she and Eve often completed, though usually to Paige or Lucas since they were the detectives. But Jaime and Jeremy both knew why Eve had elected to come to them, Jeremy did have 2 wolves in Ontario, Thunder bay to be exact checking in on a mutt report.

"Tell Eve I'll have Reese and Nick go look for her." he grabbed the phone and dialled Nick's cell to relay the information, giving Jaime the opportunity to have a few private, or as private as words got in a house full of werewolves, with Eve.

"How much trouble is this girl in, Eve? What has she done? And whose after her?" Jaime asked all at once. It wasn't often people went after necromancers, usually they pursued the more powerful witches, or half demons.

"After talking to her briefly, she's said she escaped from some kind of, well the way she described it, someplace like where I was killed." Eve rubbed the bridge of her nose, as if annoyed she couldn't have dealt with this herself. Being dead had some disadvantages. "They've been experimenting on her for what sounded like years. She said they called her Project Phoenix, and she also said they called themselves the Edison Group. She's scared Jaime, I don't know how she got out, but i got a look at her, she's scrawny, like she's been underfed, and there's needle marks all over her. Your boys pack needs to help her, and soon, their right on her trail." Eve was frowning, she was actually afraid, which made Jaime wish she could actually offer the witch some kind of comfort.

"If anyone can help her, its the Pack." that was the best that Jaime could offer.

* * *

The snapping twigs were getting closer and closer. My eyes were squinted shut, remembering my mother's words when I'd been 7 and seen my first ghost. 'If you can't see them then they can't see you' words that I knew were a lie but they brought me comfort right now.

"I think I have her scent." I heard a lightly accented voice call to someone else. The footsteps slowed, making me tense in my hiding spot. The rotted tree was like my safe haven, and so I pushed myself even deeper into its small holey safety.

"It's alright, kid, we're not here to hurt you, Eve sent us." Eve, that name. It was then that it struck me that the witch I'd spoken to a few days ago, the ghost, she'd found another necromancer like she'd promised, and she'd sent help! My joy overrode my fear and made me shift out of the hole and up into the cool night air. Even in May, the northern Ontario air was cooler then I was used to, it stung me like an icy barb in my chest. As I struggled to inhale, a fist slammed into my side, forcing a scream from my frosted lungs.

"FUCK!" I heard that accented voice call, as large hands clasped about my waist, tossing me over a large back like a sack of old potatoes. I did what any sane individual would do, I screamed, clawing my short nails over the back of my assailant. Just my luck he was a ferratus demon, causing my clawing to rip my nails off at the roots as he hardened his skin to steel. Pain shot through me making my screaming more desperate and making my hands bleed leaving the ones trying to help me a trail to follow.

"Shut yer trap girl or I'll make sure you can't scream." His hand rested over my head, as he slowly applied pressure, making me gasp. Was he going to crush my skull? Was I better off dead to them? Even as that thought went through my mind I refused to cry or be silenced. I kept kicking and clawing fruitlessly with bloody hands, I wasn't one to go down quietly.

"Let me go!" I screamed. It took a moment for me to realize he had stopped moving forwards. I opened my eyes and saw why, two men stood before him now. Both looked pretty young and admittedly, in better situations I might have done a once over of both, but all I wanted was to be out of his arms. I kept kicking, screaming and even growling until he just let me drop like a rock to the ground, mud staining the ass of my jeans.

"What do you two pretty boys want? This is my prey, find yer own" The Ferratus guy said to the men. I took the opportunity to crawl away from them, and looked to my left seeing a slight movement. I smiled seeing Eve, and whispered a small thank you.

"Don't thank me yet, they still have to take out the Iron giant over there first. Are you hurt?" Eve asked. I lifted my hands showing about 8 of my 10 nails torn off.

"I didn't realize what he was till they snapped off at the root, it hurt." was all I could manage to whisper. I didn't want to watch, I knew how tough this kind of demon was. I closed my eyes and hoped I could help in some way. I felt for the weather, for the winds. To light to force them down to help, but I grinned. There was enough moisture in the vicinity to help with some fog. Not a lot, but i hoped it would distract the demon enough to let the guys escape. Eve cleared her throat and laughed, making me turn to look at her, losing my concentration.

"You realize their werewolves, they don't need your help to bring this guy down, Holly." I pouted to her making her laugh some more. "Watch and learn."

It didn't take long For the two to take care of the demon. I'd never seen people as strong as them, and more so I'd never seen anyone take out a ferratus demon like that. My shock must have showed because as the two men came closer, they both stopped short of me.

"S-S-Sorry, just, I've never seen anyone take down a ferratus, like, ever." I said timidly, standing slowly and rubbing the mud off my ass. I forced a weak, tired smile and offered them each one of my hands. "Holly Shaw." They each took my offered hands and shook them with wicked little grins on their faces.

"I'm Nick and this is Reese, pleasure to save you Miss Shaw." which made me blush in turn, uttering a weak call me Holly.

"You're freezing, let's get you to the hotel and Nick can get you some clothes, he has better taste then me." The one called Reese said, lifting me into his arms and frowning as he noted my hands. "You didn't go quietly hmm, good girl." Which caused me to smile before finally letting the fatigue consume me and passing out so completely in his arms.

* * *

I woke up in a hotel room, something I'd never really been in all of my life. Mom hadn't liked travelling, and we didn't really have the funds to do so anyway. I shifted in the covers and went deep red realizing I was wearing nothing but my bra and panties. I knew my clothing was spent, filthy and wet, but I guess I hadn't expected to wake up naked though. Reese sat on the couch next to the bed, lightly dozing. I'd never met a werewolf before, and if anything I'd been expecting something out of the wolf man movies, but he was nothing like that. I did notice he was missing two fingers though, which made me wonder what his life had been? Did it mirror mine? Had he suffered all the hardships that I had, or was that just wishful thinking? He caught me looking to his fingers, or lack there of and smirked. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed and dropped a bag in front of me with an all be it wolfish grin.

"Nick got you some new clothing, and we're sorry we had to strip you, but you were running a fever and the wet clothes weren't helping, sides I promise I didn't look." he said with a wink and opened the bag, I went wide eyed at that seeing not only new clothing, but nice stuff too, not just thrift store clothes like I usually got. He noted my face and chuckled "You should take a shower and change in the washroom, promise I won't peek again." He said moving back to his chair and nodding off again.

I took his advice and was lad of it. It felt like heaven to wash off the filth of the past few weeks. I think I was in the shower itself for an hour or two, just inhaling the clean scents of the shampoo and the soap. I didn't ever want to leave the shower, hell if i could have spent the rest of the day in there I would have, but I still had to thank Reese and Nick properly for all of their help before I headed out again.

I got out of the shower, with some coaxing from the knocks on the door and got dressed in the jeans and T-shirt that Nick had picked up for me. He'd also gone out of his way to get me a very warm sweatshirt to keep out the cold. I wasn't sure I could ever thank them for all of their help after this.

"I um, just wanted to thank you guys for all of your help, it's really sweet of you, but I should get going before their on my ass again." As I moved to the door, Reese grabbed for my arm, effectively stopping me. I whirled around, blinking at the both of them, confused.

"We're taking you to Syracuse with us, to the Pack's home, we have a necromancer there waiting for you, Jaime Vegas, I'm sure you've heard of her." Nick said. I had to pause a moment and eyed them with confusion.

"Their going to come after me though, it isn't safe at all, even if you are werewolves, these guys aren't playing. I heard that they've killed werewolves before, I don't want to be responsible for that. I'm better off alone." After all, I had been alone my whole life since Mom had passed.

"Nonsense, Holly, you're coming with us, and trust me, we're not afraid of some stupid group. I promise, no one is going to hurt you not with us here, and especially once we get you back to Syracuse. We do have to finish our business here first, we got a rogue Mutt killing humans, but we've already tracked him down, and you might be able to help us catch him, if you don't mind." Reese added. It made me smile, actually being asked to help, being asked to be with people. It was something I hadn't experienced since my powers had come to full when I was 15. No one wanted to hang with the orphan girl who saw ghosts.

"Alright, if you guys are sure." I was still skittish, I didn't want to put them in danger, so if I felt I was, I wouldn't hesitate to bolt and save them. Reese was watching me as I spoke, and it almost seemed like he could read my face. His smile faltered at my words, but I hadn't really paid much attention to it in the first place.

"You need to trust us, just for a little while" Nick said. And it felt nice to have, people, to not just talk to the dead. Live friends, it was something new I'd have to adjust to.


	2. In Between

(Thank you for the wonderful reviews! Read and continue to enjoy! Sorry for the updates being so sparse, i'm in teachers college, teaching kids most days, lesson plans and prep is pretty much my life. I'll update a lot more often once i'm finished :) thank you for the continued reviews and the patience :))

Chapter 2:

It was odd my first day with living breathing friends, if I could really call Nick and Reese that. They treated me like a princess which was something so alien to me I found myself often pinching my left arm to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Eve stuck close by that day, whispering words of encouragement to me and communicating through me to the wolves who were to take me to Jaime and their Alpha, whose name I learnt was Jeremy. My trust was slow to come, I had just met these men, and life and mom had taught me, men were NOT to be trusted unless they had proven themselves. Sadly,in my condition, saving my life wasn't proof enough to let my guard down.

"So the idea is to have you pose as a wealthy tourist, we'll be sure to keep well downwind of you, out of his scenting range and will follow you based on that. We will have a small radio for you to whisper into if you need us and to speak back to you. It should go off without a hitch, Holly we've done a lot of missions like this before." Nick said, trying to reassure me as they explained what part I would play in the luring out of the Mutt. They were still unsure of which Mutt is was, but Nick said he would be easy to spot.

"I'll be close by though, in the club where his victims seem to have been just before turning up dead. If I catch anything that doesn't look safe, I'll bail you out without a second thought, alright?" Reese added. Something about his eyes made him almost easy for me to trust, almost.

"Alright, and then when we're done, I can go meet Jaime?" another necromancer was something I'd only dreamed of. My Nana she'd been one but she'd been lost to something Mom had called, the Madness years before I'd been born. Mom didn't have the powers, but she'd known about them, helped me as best a mother could before she'd been killed.

"Of course, we gave you, and Eve our word." he'd smile looking over where he guessed Eve was, which made the witch giggle as she'd sit close to me.

"Boy thinks he's pretty smart, kinda dim if you ask me. You seem in good hands though, Holly." she'd smile soothingly to me before shifting to her feet once more. "I need to meet up with Jaime, inform her of what the plan is and then head back out, you know, Ghost duties."

"Be safe, Eve, and thank you" I said as she vanished from my sight. Reese and Nick just looked at me dumbfounded, making me smirk a bit, feeling slightly more at ease. "She had to go back to Jaime and relay what the plan is."

They just nodded and began to map out their paths. I wasn't really a part of that process, so I just sat back and ate some more of the chips Reese had gotten earlier that day, along with a few more props to make me look my part a bit better. A fancy new cell phone, a designer purse and shoes, things I'd only dreamt of having in my presence, let alone owning. It seemed too good to be true, which made Mom's words ring in my head, over and over. 'If it seems to good to be true, it usually is, trust no one but your momma.' She'd been my whole world, and without her, now, I felt so lost and vulnerable. My eyes shifted every so often back to the wolves, my head tilting this way and that. They looked as human as anyone else did, but I suppose I did as well. Strange to think that these men could, at a moments notice turn into man eating wolves. A grotesque vision of the werewolves I'd seen in bad b-horror movies flittered through my mind, making me choke on a chip with a giggle. The boys looked to me as a i choked it down, waving a small hand in passing as the chip finally sunk into my gullet.

Finally, once they had finished plotting and planning, Nick headed out to see if the Mutt's scent was anywhere near the club he had seemed to be stalking about at. Reese stayed with me, which wasn't all together unpleasant. He wasn't much older than I was, and despite his missing fingers, he was really pleasant to look at.

"You nervous, Holly?" he asked, his voice was soft, softer than I had heard it in the couple of days I'd been with the two. Maybe it was because Nick wasn't here, maybe he was worried I'd run off if he wasn't soft with me, whatever it was, I liked it. Softness suited him, and his accent was soothing when it wasn't a rough growl.

"No, I..." I paused a moment. Was I really going to go and tell him I felt he'd keep me safe? Had I so quickly forgotten Mom's rules, the rules which had kept me alive all this time, even after she'd been killed? I froze and just shrugged. "I'm cool" I finally finished. He frowned at my response, but nodded before getting up. I couldn't fight the feeling that I had disappointed him somehow, but it didn't weigh too heavily on me. I'd just met him anyway, and as soon as I was with Jaime, he'd be nothing more than that.

"Alright, Nick should be in position, let's head over, it's already dark." As he spoke, he removed a small item from his front pocket, handing it to me. I glanced at it a moment before removing it from his hand. As he left the room to head to the car, I peered at the item now within my hand, a small sheath, made of a sturdy leather, in which was encased a small hunting knife. I did smile than, he didn't want me at risk it seemed. I stuffed the knife into the top of my knee high boot, it wasn't comfortable, but it was hidden, and headed out to the car to meet him. It would be over soon, and then I could finally meet Jaime, meet another Necromancer.

Nick had found the Mutt, who he indicated was a young sex offender from Kentucky named Parker. He'd been on the run from both the pack and the American security for many years now. He had a reputation as a rapist, who tended to eat his victims post rape. It didn't comfort me when Nick promised he was more likely not to hurt me too much if anything went wrong, that Parker was notorious for playing with his food.

I treded carefully through the parking lot, whose lights were dim and orangey. The lot smelt of urine and old liquor, which made even my nose hurt, and made me wonder how Nick or Reese would be able to smell Parker when he got close. My hand rested on top of the designer purse I held, as if it would provide the support which I feared might have miscalculated this move. Everything seemed quirt, and dark, and my nerves were on high alert.

A low growl caught me off guard. My eyes shot to the darkest most corner of the clubs parking lot as clicking nails trapsed along the pavement at a leisurely pace. I quickened my own pace, fear slowly gripping me, which might be dangerous, I remembered that fear could make the wolf excited, that they might be able to smell it. My eyes widened as the deep chestnut dog...wolf came into view, its maw wide open, fangs dripping with dried blood and saliva. This was not Nick or Reese, it had to be Parker. I screamed, I couldn't help it. My hand darted to my boot, removing the knife from its sheath with a speed even I didn't know I possessed.

"Get back!" I screamed, knowing full well that not only Parker, but also Nick and Reese could hear me. There was no way I could lead Parker to the trap point, not if he was in wolf form.

My hand shook violently, the knife quavering about as I pointed it at the snarling beast. My eyes were glistening with tears of fear. This was what Mom had warned me about. Men meant trouble, men had killed Mom and now they would be the reason I died.

The wolf looked amused, its deep green eyes seemed to sparkle with glee, and it was then I saw her, just behind him, her neck ripped open. I screamed again, forgetting what I was, and what she must be. A ghost in her death form, trying to scare me, and succeeding. She cackled and fluttered through the snarling wolf, moving closer to me, the wolf, too moved closer.

"He's going to get you, and rape you, and maul you and rape you some more, just like he did to me, girly." she cackled again, her dead eyes glassy and staring. It made my gut wrench and those chips I'd eaten earlier churned in my stomach. But I'd learned to tune ghosts out. I had to focus on the wolf. Nick and Reese were likely still too far away to save me, I was very much, on my own.

"Don't come any closer, I'm a powerful witch, and if you do, I'll make a fireball and singe your entire body until you're nothing but a flaming carcass!" I screamed, my free hand raising in a motion i knew sorcerers used when they cast their firebolts, a motion I had memorized, you don't easily forget the motion which ended the life of someone you love. The wolf seemed to know it too, and he took a tentative step backwards, as if pondering the validity of my threat. My heart continued to pound, my fear still evident, which egged the wolf closer, his step back became two forwards, until he was in an all out run. I screamed and dropped my knife, running for my life once more.

"He's going to getttttt youuuuu!" The woman squealed as she followed behind the wolf. I hardly noticed or heard her, all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart. What was worse, running from the Edison group, who wanted my very much alive, or running from a man eating werewolf who wanted me for dinner? My eyes were closed, my lungs burning as I kept up my fast pace, running towards where I thought Reese was.

The terrain got rough as I left the lot and ran into the brush, mucky from the rain of the previous day, my boots sank into it, squelching as I tried to free myself from the boggy wetland. Tears stained my eyes as I screamed helplessly in the thicket, crying for someone to save me, like a pathetic thing. A rustling to my left made me silence my cries at once. Eyes slowly turning towards the sound, Reese's blue eyes looked back at me, but a furred muzzle followed them. My shock was blatant to see, he'd changed? I guess it was easier to take on a wolf as a wolf. I forced a weak, fearful smile and crawled towards him, hearing leaves and twigs rustle behind me.

The wolf Reese moved to lick my nose, i forced down a low giggle as it tickled. I gave a cursory brush of my fingers through his course fur and smiled, it was warm, and thick. He didn't seem to mind the touch, but turned a nudged me further behind him. I went quietly, and heard the rustling behind us getting louder, and a low primal growl erupting close by. I closed my eyes, breathing in slow deep breaths. A hand moved to my back making me jump in surprise as the rustling grew and I heard Reese jump into a fray with Parker. Nick was there, frowning deeply as he pulled me up and away from the snarling wolves.

"He must have caught my scent earlier, I'm sorry..." He trailed off as he lead me away. I stopped, looking back behind me. I felt, something, and it made me look back, which concerned me. Finally I turned my head from the beastial battle to look at Nick.

"He changed so you could save me, and distract Parker while you got me out." When he said nothing, I continued, cautiously. "He might get killed, cause of me." It was a statement, and before Nick could muster and excuse, I had nimbly removed those heeled boots and was running fast as I could back towards Reese. It never occurred to me I could be a hinderance, or that i could distract Reese, all I knew was it was now my fault he was in a life or death situation, and I had to help him, like he had me.

"Holly!" Nick called after me, doing his best to give me chase, but I was tiny compared to him, and the boggy soil was kinder to my bared feet and small bulk than his. Werewolf or not, size did matter in wet mud.

As I neared the fray, I stopped in a bush not far from the battling beasts. It was easy to tell which was which, their fur colouring was drastically different, and their eyes were human all around. I forced myself to concentrate, it was still cloudy, the rain had not yet finished, and I pushed the clouds with all of my Tempestra power, trying to force a bolt of lightning out. Mom had never even let me try, she said it could kill me if I tried too hard, like if a telekinetic type half demon tried to move too much weight. But I knew it was the only thing I could do to save Reese. I had to pay him back, for the other night, for now.

A pulsing migraine struck me, and grew more painful with each mental tug at the weather. My eyes closed with my concentration, and my nose felt sticky and warm. I kept up my concentration, ignoring Nick's calls and the animated wolf fight just before me, and even the warm stickiness coming from my eyes. I was close, I could feel the lightning's power, I could feel it slowly bending to my will. Lightning is stubborn, you see, and doesn't like to be told what to do, or at least that's my take on it.

Finally, I gave one last big mental push, a scream erupted, which later on I realized was my own, and a flash engulfed the field, striking its mark well, leaving both Parker and the ground around him singed, flaming and very much dead. I opened my eyes, which were oddly shadowed, smiling weakly, I'd done it! I'd summoned lightning! And it was then I noticed Reese in front of me, something which may have been concern in his icey orbs. His muzzle moved to nudge my head and came back with crimson blood upon it. I arched a brow, moving my hands to my face, blood flowed from my eyes and nose like torrents. Mom had been right, and saving Reese may have just cost me my life.

Nick was behind me then, screaming something to the wolf in front of me, who had taken to trying to lick the blood off of my face. The wolf ran off, and the world began whirling around me. If I lived, I vowed to never try to summon the weather again, somethings were best left to nature. My eeys closed and the darkness engulfed me, Nick's voice fading off into the abyss.

Beeps came and went like a steady heart beat. Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. My eyes were sore, but i tried to open them anyway. My head felt like a rhino had used it as a welcome mat and trampled in. I gasped weakly as the light made the pain all the worse. A hand moved to my chest, and gently pushed me back downwards. A soft voice spoke to me with a light Aussie lilt.

"You nearly offed yourself saving me, don't go dieing from a brain anneurism from waking up, damn it Holly." Reese's voice. He was alright, I'd repaid my debt to him. My eye sight cleared and I kept my body and head where he had pushed them back. I didn't seem to be in a hospital, the bed was too big, the room nicely painted, and a picturesque window in front of me seemed un-hospital like.

"Where are we?" I was able to mumble out weakly. Reese smiled, moving in to pull my covers upwards, effectively wrapping me up like a mummy.

"Syracuse, you were in a hospital for blood loss, and as soon as they deemed you well enough to travel, we got you here as quickly as we could. Some impressive skill you had back there, saving my ass, but do me a favour next time." he said, and I looked at him with some confusion.

"Do what?" I murmured lightly. That made his smile grow all the wider, his three fingered hand lacing in my own.

"Don't be so wreckless with you own damned life." and with that, he leaned in to kiss my forehead and headed off. And i couldn't help it, but a small smile spread along my lips. He cared if I lived or died. I'd never had anyone but Mom who had worried about me like that. It was nice, and I hoped wholeheartedly I could keep it this time, and that no one would kill him too.


	3. No More Sorrow

((Sorry for the long wait for another chapter. Life's been playing catch up with me:P hope you enjoy this and hopefully new chapters will be sooner forthcoming then this one! Cheers and thank you for the reviews!))

I can`t remember how long I was holed up in that bed, but it seemed like a millennia. People came, and went bringing me food, water, and a cornucopia of things to preoccupy my time. The only constant thing in my life during the weeks I spend recuperating was Reese. He hardly ever left my bedside. More often than not whenever I awoke he was either dozing on the chair next to my bed, or sitting by the window watching the world outside. The rainy months had since passed and already the weather had shifted to bright unhindered sunshine. Summer had come, and the warm weather brought cheer, I figured that was a tempestra demon thing.

Jaime came often to visit me, but continually told me I was still too weak from the aneurism to work with her on anything more tasking then talking to Eve, and Eve kept telling me I'd been overly reckless when I'd risked my life for 'a werewolf who could easily take care of his damned self'. Both were none too pleased with what I'd done, but each grudgingly gave me the props summoning lightning deserved, and both made me promise never to do it again, or Eve would make my afterlife hell and Jaime would summon my spirit into a beached tuna fish. Neither punishment sounded appealing, so the promise came easily.

"How's my favourite patient doing this morning?" Jeremy asked me about a month into my recuperation. By this point I felt strong enough to actually get farther then the window or washroom, so I waved him off, stood up in my flannel jammies and tank top and wandered off.

"I feel like I need to actually go out and do something, if I'm allowed?" Jeremy and I had developed an odd relationship these past few weeks, to say the least. He babied me worst of all, treated me like a frail exotic animal in a foreign eco system. Reese, who was almost always in my room laughed at my comment, earning a glare from me, which promptly shut him up.

"What?" he said smirking. He stood, striding over to me with only a few short steps of his long legs, wrapping me up in what I thought was a hug, but proved to deteriorate into a fireman's carry. As he tossed me up into his arms and over his shoulder, he laughed. "We do need groceries, feel up to a tri[ into town? And don't worry, it's already cool with Jeremy…right?" Reese said, his eyes roving to his Alpha. Jeremy just shook his head smirking as Reese dragged me over to Clay and Elena's room.

"Put me doooown!" I whined at Reese, squirming like a squid trapped in a tempura machine. My arms flailed and my legs wriggled in his grip, but the wolf had me good, and never even so much as twitched at my actions. When he ignored my pleas I sighed. "Fine, but if Elena is coming, I call shot gun." He gave no argument, and so he dropped me off at Elena's door. She opened it and let me in snorting.

"You two can be completely ridiculous, you know that?" she ushered me in and handed me a few large bags full of clothing. "Nick went shopping for you back when you first got here in your mild comatose, I've been keeping these for you for when you got better. The room they have you in has no closet, and we're still in the process of making the dresser, though Clay's almost done. Get changed and be outside in 10. I'm driving us to town for some grocery shopping. The twins finished off all the bacon, again." She shook her head as she referred to her twin children, Logan and Kate, those two were quitter the handful. They'd come to see me once and a while. Logan often asked if the dead could tell him better ways to hunt, and Kate always wondered if I'd inherit the madness, she'd heard Jaime mention it. I'd never met children quite like them, and I doubted I'd ever meet any such again.

After I was dressed in simple shorts and a t-shirt I hurried downstairs where I came face to face with Jaime. "Going out? Are you sure you're strong enough Holly? It's only been a few weeks. Did you want me to come? And should you leave? I mean we're none closer to figuring out who this Edison group is, reports are sketchy at best." She continued on and made me huff softly, rolling my eyes, and I almost choked on my spit realizing I used to do the same thing to Mom before she'd been killed. Jaime must have noticed the change in my demeanour, because she placed her hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Look at me overreacting, god, I'm sorry hon, sometimes I forget you're not a little kid, you're what, 19?" she rubbed my shoulder gently as I replied.

"20, and its fine. Just you reminded me a lot of my mom when you said it is all. I miss her. And it's just groceries, how dangerous can a Wegman's be?" I laughed, moving to give her a light hug, something she encouraged me to do with her at all times. "I'll be back soon, and then you can teach me some necromancy stuff, ok? Really I'm way better." I hurried off hearing Elena honking the horn of the jeep. I was getting too close to all of then, I knew it, and I could feel it. At the same time, I liked it. I loved having a surrogate family, mock brothers, sisters and Jaime as a mother figure, but at the same time, I felt ashamed. I was a burden, I was trouble and worst of all I could be endangering them with every breath I took. Staying in Syracuse was the most selfish thing I'd ever done, and the sad bit was, I wasn`t even feeling that guilty.

* * *

"Have you been able to locate project Phoenix yet?" he asked, his dark eyes bordered on black. The nurse eyed him with a mixture of fear and admiration. She held her clip board close to her heart, as if for protection as she stood in his presence. He noticed she shook when she spoke to him, which made him feel all the more powerful, and why shouldn't he feel thusly? He ran the whole damned group. They should all tremble for him if they knew what he was capable of.

"N…no sir, we've got eyes and ears all over New York state looking for her. Our spies have virtually all corners of the state covered, from hotels, hostels, supermarkets, even the amusement park has a spy or two from our group looking for Project Phoenix. It's like she's just vanished from the grid. And our Clairvoyants are having no luck either. It's likely the witches the pack knows are veiling her with spells." She replied. Could he smell her fear? Did he know how weak and insignificant he made her feel. Would he kill her for her lack of progress?

"See that she is found soon, Louisa, or I may grow impatient and require a new specimen…you're a half demon aren't you? You could serve just as well as the girl if it really came down to it, but would you survive the initial treatment I wonder." His voice was low and dangerous, and he grinned wider as she looked about ready to wet herself. That was what he craved. The sorcerer raised his hand, which made her drop her clipboard and squeal. "Now get out of my sight, and get me results or it will be you on my table next." She ran, which just made it all the sweeter.

"You'll scare away the help that way, Nero." Scarlett called to the sorcerer from her dark corner. "And this group won't function well without the help, you know that. What good is a game of chess when there are no pawns?" the vampire stood, her pale skin translucent in the dim lighting of Nero's office. The sorcerer turned to the vampire and chuckled.

"I suppose you've got it right, but I want results, and if we're to summon Focalor, we need that girl. She's a Tempestra which makes her his progeny, and to boot, she'd a necromancer, giving her a near direct contact link to his realm if we can harness her." Nero eyed the vampire, taking her in. She was lean and taller than most men, her russet hair had earned her the name Scarlett among his people of the Edison group, no one but he knew her true name. She merely chuckled.

"We're looking to summon the great storm demon. He's millions of years old, he can wait a few more weeks to come and wreak the havoc we crave on this poor unsuspecting world, can't he?" her tone was low, dangerous, warning. The Sorcerer knew his power over her was as much as Louisa's power over him, non-existent. He nodded at the vampire, who proceeded to leave him alone in his dark office. She was an enigma, Scarlett, no not Scarlett, Elizabeth Bathory the blood countess of Hungary. She was not a figure one ever wished to trifle with, not even a very powerful sorcerer.

* * *

"Sold out of Bacon? You have to be kidding me! The twins are not going to be happy about this." Elena said as we moved out of the cold meat aisle. I pushed the cart along as Reese scouted up ahead. He came back waving a dozen packages of turkey bacon, making Elena chuckle. "They'll know the difference, but bacon is bacon, no matter what animal it's made from. You two keep shopping from the list, I promised Jaime I'd grab something for her while we were here." Elena hurried off, leaving me alone with Reese, which all things considered worked out well for me.

"How's your taste of freedom going Rapunzel? Nice to be free from your tower?" Reese teased. I leaned over to punch his shoulder, wincing as I did so. He simply laughed and flexed his well-toned arms. "Yea that's right."

"One of these days you're going to be so sorry you teased me so much. I won't be here forever for you to bother you know?" I'd meant it as a joke, but his smile vanished at my words, and a look of…well I wasn't sure what that look was, disappointment, maybe it was anger, but all of it was hurt. She'd pause, watching him closely. "I…I didn't mean that Reese." My voice was strained, every time I felt I hurt him I felt guilty, which was just plain ridiculous, we were squared off, he and I there was no reason to feel like that.

"You can't go" he said simply, looking at me with his intense gaze. His eyes felt like they would engulf me. "You're part of our pack now, like Jaime, and Savannah, you don't get to go lone wolf, Holly. You don't get to walk into our lives and walk on out like some transient." His words made me look closer at his body language. Mom had been better at reading body language then me, but it was clear my words had hit a nerve.

"I'm sorry." I said it softly, simply, my hand moving to clutch his gently. He'd been by my side a long time, through the whole recuperation. I'd been callous saying I'd leave him alone someday soon. He was my friend, maybe more than that, and I'd gone and rained on his parade. "I'm still getting used to not having to run and hide every time I go outside. Forgive me?" I grinned to him, pushing the cart away from us to move in and poke my face towards his. He tried to avoid my eyes at first, but like usual, he smirked and nodded, giving in to the little game.

We found Elena at the checkout with a turkey, a whole 20 pound turkey. Reese locked at it and was nearly licking his lips. "Thanksgiving came early?" he asked, making both myself and Elena laugh.

"No, Jaime was just looking to cook for us tonight, which may or may not turn out horrible. So I'm glad you guys grabbed a bunch of frozen pizzas, we may need them. " She grinned and it was infectious. For the month and a bit that I'd been living with them, the wolves seemed warm, nothing like I'd worried it would be. It was nice to have a home, even if it should have been temporary. As we checked out, Reese moved closer to me. His breathing got a bit ragged as he hurried me out of the grocery store, Elena hot on his heels with our loot.

"What's going on guys?" I asked, my own heart starting to pound. This felt more like my life, it made me wonder how I'd deluded myself into thinking I could have a real home. They packed the car and drove home the long way. Down the winding trails and around half the city before heading back to Stonehaven. "What's going on! I'm serious! You guys are freaking me out." Reese got out of the car as we parked, opening my door and literally scooping me out of my seat, snapping the seat belt from around my torso.

"We were being watched, and then tailed. One man followed us through the store, his eyes never left you, Holly, and the Beemer in the parking lot parked across from us followed us around half the city until Elena lost him at the intersection when the train came by. We need to get you inside and well hidden. We'll need to stay in the basement, well away from peering eyes, okay?" he sounded worried, almost panicked and it made me cling to his form tighter.

"Reese has the right idea, I'll alert Jeremy and Clay and we'll get the basement liveable for you" Reese eyed her. "For both of you to live in, beds, blankets and Parcheesi. All homey." Her tone wasn't any more calm then Reese's which only increased my own panic. They'd found me. The Edison group had finally found me. I'd need to run again, I knew I would.

"No, I should go, it's not safe for me here, I'll bring them on you, they'll...what if they take the Twins too." My eyes burned, but like hell I was going to cry. Mom had raised me better. "Elena, I can't risk your family for hiding me." I wriggled, trying to escape Reese's grip, but he only held me closer and tighter to him.

"I told you earlier, Holly, you're part of the pack, we protect our own, and you entered that realm when you almost died saving me. So suck it up and get over this whole 'I'm a danger to anyone and I can't be happy' complex you have. This is your home and like hell we're going to let anyone take you without a god damned fight." And that effectively shut me right up. Was that what I seemed like to him? A pathetic emo kid crying about being a danger. The world on me, weighing. It made my heart ache to hear him of all people speak those words, and I was silent, for once.

"Get her downstairs now, Reese, take some clothes and some blankets for you both. Jeremy will check on you when were sure they haven't followed us here." She was firm, and Reese only nodded, moving to deposit me in the basement on the lone chair which sat in the middle of it. He left to get the blankets and clothing and I was left to my thoughts.

Was I really not a burden? What had I done to deserve their protection? For them to risk their lives and freedoms for me? And it struck me. I was in a pack house, full of pack wolves. They'd effectively adopted me into their fold. Like Mom, they were my family, and I prayed they would not die like she did for me as well. When Reese returned, he draped my blanket over my shoulders, moving to sit by my side on the floor. And he took note of my silence, frowning.

"I didn't mean what I said, Holly, I was angry, and worried." I moved to close my had in his shaggy light hair, letting my fingers slip through his silken tresses. He leaned into the touch, not unlike a dog may a pet.

"No, Reese, you're not allowed to apologize for showing me what a moron I've been for a long time. You're right, I get down on everything, and I have trouble being happy, I have trouble with. This, living here, with the ;pack. And it is nothing to do with any of you, you're all amazing." I inhaled and prepared to share with him my story, all of it. "I need to tell you about my mom, and why I was always running. Maybe if I do, I can overcome this stupid fear of losing everything I love, or that loves me." I tried not to look at him, which was easy since he was below my eye level on the floor.

He sat quietly, listening, Reese was great at reading me, and I only wished I could return the favour. More often than not I was either annoying him or setting him off rather than causing happiness. "It started when I was 13, and I saw my first Ghost. Mom told me about Nana, and how she'd gone insane from the ghosts. Mom was worried that would happen to me, so she found a doctor, well he said he was a doctor." My hand moved from his hair, falling to my side. He shifted, but made no move to try and retake my hand. "He said I was sick, and he could stop the madness from getting me. He said he had a special hospital for people like me, so mom sent me without question, and that's when everything went to shit." I couldn't go into details, and my voice choked as I continued on.

"I'll spare you the details, cause I can't face em again, but mom knew something was wrong. She broke in with the help of an old witch friend. She found me half dead, half starved, bloody, weak and hooked up to a billion machines. As she and the witch broke me out, he came." I had to inhale slowly, and it was then I felt Reese grab a hold of my hand. He gave me a reassuring squeeze, but it was too late, the story had begun there was no stopping it till I got to the end.

"They killed Kennedy, that was the witch's name, and mom and I ran. We ran for a few years until they found us hiding in Saskatoon. Mom tried to protect me, she had a gun, and she shot at him. But he struck her down with a firebolt. I blacked out, but when I came to, he was gone, and mom was dying. I held her and all she could say was 'I love you' and she died." My voice failed me and the tears fell in torrents. Her face as she died was etched in my mind, her smile was present, even as she felt her last breath.

I don't know when it happened, but next I knew, I was wrapped in his arms, on the floor, and my tears were soaking into his shoulder. His voice was soft, and low, and gentle. "Holly, I will never die on you. You won't ever have to be alone, or run away while I'm with you." False promises, all of them, but they made my heart thump heavily. I wanted to believe him, I wanted beyond any hope to know he'd stay with me, he'd live, and he'd keep me safe and secure here, with him, for as long as I could be.

"Thank you, Reese." I said, and between my sobs I snorted loudly, squirming "You're cutting off my air!" he wasn't but this was getting a bit beyond my comfort zone. It wasn't our usual playful silliness, there were emotions behind his actions I was still too afraid to seek out. He released me just as quick as he'd embraced me, grinning that sly Aussie smile of his.

"Let's get some sleep, hopefully they haven't followed us and you can spend tomorrow night in your bed trying to kick me out of it." I grinned at that, kissing his cheek and laying on the ground. I twitched some as he came to lie next to me, draping a lazy arm over my shoulders, but it seemed platonic enough. I curled my legs up to my chest and slept poorly, I dreamt of Mom, and of the sorcerer's firebolt as it robbed me of the only person I'd loved. Nero…his name was Nero, and one day I would kill him.

* * *

"Louisa, can you transfer me to Nero or Scarlett?" the husked Russian lilt called over the static fuzzed phone line. The small blonde grumbled making the Russian laugh lowly "Now Louisa"

As she transferred him, Nero could be heard laughing lowly with Scarlett. "Nero, how can we help you, Stanislav?" he asked. Scarlet could be heard chuckling still in the background, murmuring soft words to someone else present.

"We have found her, sir. Permission to post a few men to spy on the pack and see if they let her outside again?" the Russian asked. Scarlett took to answer him.

"Of course you idiot, now leave us…we have a snack to enjoy." She pressed the end call button, turning to the teenager in her grasp. "Now, Tina, how old did you say you were?"

"F…fifteen ma'am" the girl, Tina whimpered out. Scarlett's hand tightened around her neck.

"Such a budding little flower." As she spoke, Nero's hand raised in a motion and a moment later, the stench of singed cloth and flesh filled the room. "Careful, I need her blood, and I don't like it boiling, you really need to find a more subtle method of killing my snacks, Nero. Beauty is half the flavour, and scorch marks are not beautiful." She hefted the corpse over her shoulder and wandered off. "Let's hope this Russian has better luck capturing the girl then you did. To think you got your ass beat by a girl, a child too. Pathetic." As she left, Nero growled after her. He remembered the night Project Phoenix had nearly killed him.

He'd just finished killing her mother when her eyes glazed over and the deep violet blue they associated with her demon father, Focalor, in possession. She raised her arms upwards and a storm came from nowhere. Winds, rains, and lightning attacked him all at once. He'd been lucky for his shield spells or the freak storm would have destroyed him. She was the key to summoning the demon, and the demon was key to harnessing nature itself. He who controlled nature could enjoy wealth beyond compare, and to Nero, there was nothing more important then that.


End file.
